Adoption Act Approved in
Guatemala
The Guatemalan Congress
approved by 109 of 110
votes the Adoption Act
on Tuesday.
The measures was
required by The Hague
Convention, ratified by
the legislature in May,
and will imply the
creation of the National
Adoption Council to
protect children who
will be adopted by
families in the country
and abroad.
However, the act
prioritizes adoptions by
nationals and prohibits
any kinds of benefits
for those involved,
including parents or
relatives of the
children.
According to the act,
the adoptions in process
will have one month,
starting on December 31,
to comply with the new
procedures.
Groups from civil
society and
organizations that
advocate children's
rights gathered in front
of Congress on Tuesday
morning to demand the
approval of the act.
Several European
ambassadors who attended
the Congress session
expressed a similar
interest in a letter
dated December 5 and
addressed to the
deputies.
Outgoing Guatemalan
President Oscar Berger
described this step
towards the eradication
of child abuse as
wonderful. "We want to
know the origin and
destination of children,
to follow up, because
adoptions are good," he
noted. |
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